Washing, rinsing, and drying apparatus



March 4, 1941. HI E vmsmne, RINSING, AND mums APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed May 11,, 1939 INVENTOR k M a a m ATTOR NEYS March 4, 1941. J.WHITE.

WASHING, RINSING, AND DRYING APPARATUS Filed May 11, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet- 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES wasnmc,anvsme, AND. DRYING mmrus Jpseph White, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor toMary K. Cassidy, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application May 11,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to washers and driers, and its general object isto .provide an apparatus primarily designed for domestic purposes, thatis capable of use for washing, rinsing and drying ap- 5 parel and otherfabric articles, as well as dishes and the like, in a thorough andexpeditious manner, without possibility of damaging the same, in thatthe apparatus is based upon a thermal circulatory principle, that is thewashing solution such as soapy water is heated within the apparatus andcaused to circulate for travel through and about the articles, thusremoving all dirt and foreign matter therefrom, without the use ofagitators, suction cups and other moving elements now 15 generallyemployed in washing machines.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the character set forth,in which the different kinds of articles can be separated in groups, oneabove the other, and the articles can remain with- 20 in the apparatusduring the entire process of washing, rinsing and drying the same, sothat when removed, they are in a clean, dry and sanitary condition.

Another object is to provide an apparatus that 25 is simple inconstruction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely efficient in useand service. This invention also consists in certain other features ofconstruction and in the combination and an arrangement of the severalparts, to be hereinafter 1 fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appendedclaim,

In describing the invention in detail, reference 35 will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through the apparatus whichforms the subject 40 matter of the present invention, and illustratesthe manner of applying heat to bring about the circulation of thewashing solution, the direction of travel thereof being indicated by thearrows.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Figure1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Figure1, looking in the direction 50 of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a view, illustrating the application of one of the dryingunits which forms a part of the apparatus.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view, illustrating 5 the manner ofapplying a hose, to bring about the rinsing of the articles after thelatter have been washed,

Figure? is a fragmentary sectional view, illustrating the application ofanother type of dryin m unit which likewise forms a part of theapparatus.

fragmentary vertical sectional 1939, Serial No. 273,081

Figure 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of th unit as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the article receiving and supportingrack.

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of an insert used during theprocess of washing the articles and illustrates a part in section.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral l indicatesthe body of my apparatus, and which in the form as shown is acylindrical container provided with a bottom wall 2 and an opentop, thelatter being closed' by a flanged cover or lid 3 provided wlth'a centralopening having an interiorly threaded upstanding annular flange 4 aboutthe edge thereof to threadedly receive a handled cap 5, as well as formoun ing a drying unit which will be later described. The cover 3 islikewise provided with a laterally disposed opening 6 closed by a coverplate I mounted for pivotal slidable movement and provided with aknob-like handle.

Secured to and depending from the flange of the cover 3 are hangerbrackets 8 having right angle bent lower ends which have riveted orotherwise secured thereto a perforated partition plate 9 disposedslightly below the cover for cooperation therewith to provide a chamberIll for receiving the incoming washing solution. While the plate 8 isshown as being flat, it may be of slightly convexed formation and actsas a spreading means for the solution.

' Mounted on the bottom wall 2 is a base plate ll having secured theretoa strip l2 disposed in spiral formation from adjacent the center of theplate I I to the outer edge thereof to provide a circuitous path for theheated water or washing solution to direct the same accordingly to theinlet end of a pipe line l3 providing a by-pass for the passage of thesolution from the chamber It to the chamber ID, as the inlet end of thepipe line I3 communicates with the latter chamber, as clearly shown inFigure l. Removably mounted within the container is what 1 term a basinelement which includes a disk plate l5 supported upon the strip I! forcooperation with the base plate I l to provide the chamber I4 and thedisk plate i5 has a centrally disposed opening therein, about the edgeof which is formed the small end of a funnel member IS, the latterprovided with an annular flange I! about the upper margin thereof, 'asbest shown in Figure 10 for receiving and supporting a perforated platei8.

Theplate I8 is removable and is preferably used .during the washingprocess, and mounted upon the plate l8 or the annular flange ll of thebasin element in the event the plate I8 is removed, is a rack, which isbest shown in Figure 9, for the purpose of receiving and supporting thearticles to be washed, such as wearing apparel, dishes or the like, andthe rack is preferably of a height to extend from the basin element toadjacent the partition plate 9, as best shown in Figure 1.

The rack as shown, is made from strands of wire to provide uprights l9having their upper ends bent at right angles upon themselves to providehorizontal handle portions 20 disposed in crossed association andsecured accordingly. Fixed to the uprights at equi-distantly spacedintervals are superimposed tiers or shelves 2|, each including a. ringmember 22 having secured thereto in bridging relation therewith strands23 arranged in serpentine formation and in pairs, with the waves of thestrands of each pair being directed outwardly from each other thenceinwardly throughout the length of the strands, as

clearly shown in Figure 9. It will be obvious that the tiers or shelvesare for receiving or supporting the articles to be washed, rinsed and-'dried, and the arrangement of the strands or rods 23 will tend tofacilitate the washing process of fabric articles such as apparel andthelike. The provision of the shelves likewise makes it possible toseparate different kinds of articles, for example delicate articles ofapparel may be placed uponthe upper shelf while heavy articles may beplaced upon the lowermost shelf.

In Figures and 7 I have illustrated two types of drying units, and thetype of Figure 5 includes a' circular casing 24 having an open lower endand being exteriorly threaded to be threadedly mounted in the annularflange 4 of the cover 3, so that the open lower end is in directcommunication with the interior of the container. The upper end of thecasing 24 is closed and the circular Wall is provided with inletopenings. Suitably secured within the casing 24 is a motor driven fan 25arranged for directing currents of air therefrom within the container,for the obvious purpose of drying articles on the shelves of the rack.

The container is provided with an outlet spout 26 in the vertical .wallthereof adjacent to its lower end, and the spout is threaded forreceiving a serrated cap 21 during the washing process. However, thespout 26 is also for the purpose of receiving the other drying unit ofmy apparatus and which includes a tubular shank 21 terminating at itsouter end in an annular flange which has mounted thereon a coupling nut28 for securing the unit to the outlet spout 26, as shown in Figure 7.The shank 21 is formed on the hollow body 29 of the unit, the body beingshaped to taper outwardly from the shank in substantially turtle backformation and includes a bottom wall 30 having a heat inlet opening 3|therein of a size to allow for the free passage of heat within the unitfrom a source'of heat, such as a burner 32, and the shank containssuitable as a steel wool cartridge to prevent passage of the flames fromthe burner, carbon, etc., to the container. In order to facilitate theintroduction of water within the container, I provide a hose 34, one endof which hassecured thereto a socket member 35 for attac ent to aspigot, as shown in Figure 6, and the posite end has a-reinforcingcollar 36 thereon, th spring fingers 31 formed on the collar, and risingfrom diametrically opposite sides thereof, for holding the outletend ofthe hose within the opening 6, the spring fingers being looped toprovide seats for that purpose, as clearly shown in Figure 6. The shapeof the springfingers likewise provide cam means for urging the flngerstoward each other, when placing the hose within the opening, and it willbe obvious that when the fingers are manually pressed together the hosecan be readily moved therefrom.

In Figure 1, it will be noted that my apparatus is suitably supportedwith respect to a burner 38 for heating the washing solution within thecontainer, and while it is believed that the operation of the apparatuswill be obvious from the foregoing description and disclosure in thedrawings, it might be mentioned that when the apparatus is used forwashing articles, the container is filled with washing solution, such assoapy water, to a height to cover the top shelf of the rack. The partsare all assembled, as shown in Figure 1, and as the water becomesheated, it will follow the circuitous path provided by the strip l2 andbe directed through the pipe l3 to the chamber ill for passage throughthe perforations of the plate 9 and thence through and about thearticles upon the shelves. The water passes through the perforations ofthe plate l8, then is directed by the funnel member 16 to the center ofthe chamber M where it is again heated, with the result it will be seenthat the circulation continues until the washing process is completed.

After-the articles have been washed, the washing solution is moved fromthe container by the outlet spout 26, and the articles are rinsed by theapplication of the hose to the spigot and within the opening 6, as shownin Figure 6, and after the rinsing process has been completed, thearticles are dried by either of the units shown in Figures 5 and 8.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of the invention willbe readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction andin the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that.such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a washing apparatus, a container having an open upper end, a.removable flanged closure for said end, hanger brackets secured to anddepending from the flange of the closure, flat perforated means securedto the brackets for disposal within the container in spaced relation tothe closure to provide an upper chamber, a base plate mounted in thebottom ofthe container, a spirally arranged strip secured to the baseplate, a removable basin element including a disk plate resting upon thespirally arranged strip to provide a lower chamber, saiddisk plate saidopening in outwardly flared formation, an

outwardly directed marginal flange formed on the upper end of the funnelshaped member, a perforated plate resting upon said marginal flange,by-pass means between said chambers for the passage of the heated liquidfrom the lowerchamber to the upper chamber, and said spirally arrangedstrip being disposed for directing the liquid in a horizontal circuitouspath from said central opening to the by-pass means.

'JOSElPH WHITE.

